Connecticut cracks down on zebra mussels

The Connecticut B.A.S.S. Federation Nation is getting attention for its new rules to prevent the spread of invasive species. According to an article in the Housatonic Times, the Candlewood Lake Authority issued a news release praising the chapter.

Connecticut officials ensure tournament contenders have not put their boat in zebra mussel-infested waters within a certain time period. Participants who have visited one of these fisheries must sign a “Clean, Drain and Dry” agreement, pledging that they have removed any possibility of zebra mussel hitchhikers.

Zebra mussels have a striped pattern on their shells, and they are generally the size of a fingernail. They disrupt the ecosystem and spread quickly. They are known for attaching to boats and repopulating in new waters when the boat switches water bodies.